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192093
Ordinance
Amend Council Organization and Procedure Code to include Council rule on tie-breaking (amend Code Section 3.02.030)
Passed
Amended by Council
The City of Portland ordains.
Section 1. The Council finds:
Portland City Code does not address Council vote tie-breaking by the Mayor; and
Portland City Charter Section 2-401(e) provides that the Mayor has the responsibility to “[v]ote on matters before the Council in case of a tie, when the Mayor casts the deciding vote;” and
Some matters before Council resulting in a tie vote should be left to the Council to resolve without initiating Charter Section 2-401(e); and
The Mayor cannot anticipate when they may be needed to break a tie causing Council action to be deferred; and
Portland City Charter Section 2-111 authorizes Council to determine its own rules of procedure, which would include procedures relating to the Mayor's tie-breaking vote; and
The City Code must be amended to explicitly detail voting procedures as they relate to tie-breaking.
NOW, THEREFORE, the Council directs:
Amend City Code Section 3.02.030 as shown in Exhibit A.
An ordinance when passed by the Council shall be signed by the Auditor. It shall be carefully filed and preserved
in the custody of the Auditor (City Charter Chapter 2 Article 1 Section 2-122)
Passed as amended by Council
Auditor of the City of Portland
Simone Rede
Impact Statement
Purpose of Proposed Legislation and Background Information
Update City Code rules for City Council in 2025.
Financial and Budgetary Impacts
These City Code changes do not implement changes to current FTE or budgets and do not result in new financial obligations.
Economic and Real Estate Development Impacts
Not applicable.
Community Impacts and Community Involvement
These changes will facilitate City Council rules.
100% Renewable Goal
This legislation does not have an impact on the City’s renewable energy goals.
Economic and Real Estate Development Analysis
Analysis provided by Prosper Portland
An Economic and Real Estate Development Impact Analysis was not submitted for this proposed action. Pursuant to City Council Resolution 37664, Prosper Portland staff has reviewed the action and agree that it does not require an Economic and Real Estate Development Impact Analysis.
Referred to City Council as amended
Motion to amend Exhibit A, Code Subsection 3.02.030 J.1. to strike resolutions and reports: Moved by Ryan and seconded by Pirtle-Guiney. (Aye (4): Pirtle-Guiney, Ryan, Dunphy, Koyama Lane; Nay (1): Clark)
Motion to amend Exhibit A, Code Subsection 3.02.030 J.2. to strike everything after the first sentence and amend first sentence to strike “result of the tied vote is deemed inconclusive” and add “vote fails”: Moved by Ryan and seconded by Dunphy. (Aye (4): Pirtle-Guiney, Ryan, Clark, Dunphy; Nay (1): Koyama Lane)
Motion to define a tie vote as receiving specifically six affirmative votes on final passage: Moved by Koyama Lane and seconded by Dunphy. Motion withdrawn.
Motion to amend Exhibit A, to add Code Subsection 3.02.030 J.3. In determining if a vote is a tie, absences, abstentions and vacancies will be counted as no votes: Moved by Koyama Lane and seconded by Clark. (Aye (5): Pirtle-Guiney, Ryan, Clark, Dunphy, Koyama Lane)
Motion to send Ordinance as amended, Document Number 2025-186, to the full Council with the recommendation that it be passed: Moved by Ryan and seconded by Dunphy. (Aye (5): Pirtle-Guiney, Ryan, Clark, Dunphy, Koyama Lane)
Regular Agenda City Council
Rescheduled
Regular Agenda City Council
Passed to second reading as amended
Motion to amend Exhibit A as shown in Avalos 1: Moved by Avalos and seconded by Kanal. (Aye (6): Koyama Lane, Morillo, Green, Avalos, Kanal, Pirtle-Guiney; Nay (Novick, Zimmerman, Smith, Ryan); Absent (2): Clark, Dunphy). Motion failed to pass.
Motion to amend Exhibit A, to replace Subsection J.2 with "If the Mayor is unavailable either in person or virtually to cast the tiebreaking vote on final passage during the meeting, the result of the tied vote is deemed inconclusive. If the vote on final passage remains inconclusive at the end of the meeting, the matter will be automatically postponed and rescheduled to the next Council meeting for the sole purpose of the Mayor casting their vote. If the Mayor is not present, it would be considered a no vote as in J.3.": Moved by Koyama Lane and seconded by Novick. (Aye (7): Koyama Lane, Morillo, Novick, Green, Avalos, Kanal, Ryan; Nay (3): Zimmerman, Smith, Pirtle-Guiney); Absent (2): Clark, Dunphy)
Motion to amend Exhibit A to restore "resolutions, reports" to Subsection J.1: Moved by Kanal and seconded by Koyama Lane. (Aye (6): Koyama Lane, Morillo, Novick, Green, Avalos, Kanal; Nay (4): Zimmerman, Smith, Ryan, Pirtle-Guiney; Absent (2): Clark, Dunphy). Motion failed to pass.
Passed to second reading as amended August 6, 2025 at 9:30 a.m.
Regular Agenda City Council
Passed to second reading as amended
Motion to amend Exhibit A as shown in Kanal 1: Moved by Kanal and seconded by Novick. (Aye (11): Koyama Lane, Morillo, Novick, Green, Zimmerman, Avalos, Dunphy, Smith, Kanal, Ryan, Pirtle-Guiney; Nay (1): Clark)
Passed to second reading as amended September 3, 2025 at 9:30 a.m.
